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Ladle with ham bone soup in it
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5 from 20 votes

Ham Bone Soup

This hearty soup is made with leftover ham bone, diced ham, celery, carrots, navy beans and seasonings for an easy dinner.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 40 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8
Calories: 195kcal
Author: Julie Evink

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 ham bone
  • 1 c. diced onion
  • 1 c. diced carrot
  • 1 c. diced celery
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 c. diced ham or ham scraps
  • 2 cans navy beans 15 oz each, drained and rinsed, divided
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 10 sprigs thyme
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 24 oz chicken stock
  • 4 c. water
  • salt to taste

Instructions

  • In a large stockpot, or dutch oven, over medium heat add the butter. Sear the ham bone lightly on all sides, take the ham bone out of the pot, and set aside.
  • Add the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic to the pot and cook over medium-low heat stirring occasionally until the onions are translucent, 5 minutes. Add the ham bone back to the pot along with the diced ham, 1 can of the navy beans, the bay leaf, thyme, black pepper, chicken stock, and water. Scrape any bits off the bottom of the pot.
  • Place the remaining beans in a shallow bowl or plate and crush them with the back of a fork to form a paste, this will help to slightly thicken the soup, place the crushed beans in the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and simmer for at least 60 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Take the ham bone, bay leaf, and thyme sprigs out. Discard herbs pick off any meat you can from the ham bone and add it back to the pot. Taste and add salt if necessary. Serve.

Notes

CAN I BUY A HAM BONE?
Want to make this soup but don’t have a bone? You might be able to find one without having to cook a whole one yourself.
Check with your local butcher – a lot of times, they sell them. Some grocery stores have them – they are normally frozen, so ask at the meat counter.
IS HAM HOCK THE SAME THING?
They are not the same, but you can use either for this soup! Ham hock has less meat but will give your soup the same delicious flavor.
  • Have a leftover bone from a holiday dinner but not ready to use it? You can freeze it and use it to make this soup later! Tightly wrap it and place it in a large freezer-safe bag. It will keep for up to three months.
  • The soup is delicious after it’s cooked for an hour, but it just gets better the longer it simmers! So, let it cook longer to make it even better. It will be so flavorful and delicious.
  • The soup will last for three to four days in the refrigerator. It also freezes well. Let it cool and then store it in freezer containers for up to six months.
  • This soup gets better the longer it simmers. Simmer for at least 60 minutes, or as long as you wish!

Nutrition

Calories: 195kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 559mg | Potassium: 524mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 5221IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 2mg